Che cos'è l'architettura cloud-native?

Cloud-native architecture is a specialized design approach to building and running applications within cloud computing environments. This approach, as a result, exploits the cloud’s inherent characteristics of scalability, elasticity, or even resiliency to the potential detriment of resource control as well as flexibility.

Cloud-native applications are designed to incorporate features that facilitate their performance in volatile cloud environments, including rapid response capabilities and adaptability to change. 

Adapting monolithic applications is not entirely feasible, as the process may require rewriting the entire structure as a result of the nature of the concept for cloud environments. In contrast, cloud-native architecture, encompassing microservices, is often considered a more suitable approach for modern requirements than traditional architecture.

The main difference between cloud-native and monolithic architecture is in how they are structured. Mono applications are designed where all the elements are integrated, while cloud-native applications are divided into microservices of loosely connected services. This method is characterized by its decentralized nature, where services can be independently designed, provisioned, and scaled, potentially resulting in greater adaptability, efficient resource utilization, and a decentralized architecture.

L'uso dell'architettura cloud-native può avere effetti anche sulla scalabilità, flessibilità e sul modello di spesa dell'azienda.

• Scalabilità: Le macro applicazioni realizzate con microservizi possono anche scalare aggiungendo o rimuovendo intenzionalmente istanze di servizi distinti a seconda dei carichi di lavoro.
• Resilienza: Le applicazioni cloud-native utilizzano l'isolamento e l'auto-ripristino per ridurre al minimo o prevenire i tempi di inattività in caso di guasto.
• Agilità: Le applicazioni cloud-native di solito sono costituite da microservizi che ne consentono lo sviluppo e la distribuzione.
•  Prezzi a consumo: Nell'architettura cloud-native, le organizzazioni possono modificare l'allocazione delle risorse in base all'utilizzo effettivo, con un potenziale impatto sull'ottimizzazione dei costi.

There are several technologies that are core to cloud-native development.

• Microservices: Applications are broken down into fine-grained, loosely coupled components that interact through API calls.
• Containers: During CI/CD, all the software applications and all their dependencies are segmented to particular confines to enhance the portability of the solution across the environments.
• Orchestration: Some of the examples include Kubernetes, which helps manage a cluster for running applications and deploying and scaling containerized applications.
• DevOps: Pinpoints the core concept of cooperation between development, operation, and security teams to increase the efficiency of software release.
• Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD): Focuses on automating and streamlining development processes to allow for more frequent, iterative releases with rapid feedback, reducing the reliance on manual tasks.

Le strutture cloud-native e le pratiche DevOps corrispondono comunemente alle filosofie e agli obiettivi reciproci. La disponibilità della modularità cloud-native per CI/CD ottimizzazione tramite automation porta a integrazione, test e implementazioni ricorrenti.

 Questa combinazione può influenzare la durata del ciclo di feedback, la qualità del software e la velocità con cui le soluzioni raggiungono il mercato.